Rare super blue moon to light skies in Saudi Arabia

A rare full moon, also known as a super blue moon, will illuminate the skies worldwide, including Saudi Arabia, on Monday, August 19.

Taking to X on Sunday, August 18, Jeddah Astronomical Society (JAS) said, “The full moon of the month of Safar will be complete in the Saudi sky on Monday, August 19, 2024.”

“It represents the first supermoon of the year, as it will be a little closer to the Earth than usual, which will make it appear larger and brighter.”

Jeddah Astronomy pointed out that this full moon is also known as the “seasonal blue moon,” and is a rare event that occurs roughly once every 2.5 years.

JAS’s Director Majed Abu Zahra said that the “seasonal blue moon” is the third full moon of the current season, occurring between the summer solstice and autumn equinox, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

He clarified that despite the name, the moon will not appear blue, but will look like a regular full moon.

Abu Zahra explained that a “supermoon” occurs when the moon is within 90 percent of its closest distance to Earth, resulting in a distance of 361,969 kilometers.

The supermoon, initially orange-tinted due to atmospheric dust, will rise southeast after sunset, turning silvery-white as it ascends and remaining visible until sunrise on Tuesday, August 20.

Abu Zahra warns that observers may not notice a significant difference in the size of a supermoon due to potential obstructions and difficulty in assessing its size.

The supermoon will cause normal monthly tide changes due to the moon’s gravitational pull, without causing unusual weather or geological activity.

The optimal time to observe the lunar surface is during this month, as the sun fully illuminates the moon’s face, creating a flat landscape with short shadows.